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What Can Medical Astrology Do ...


What does a medical astrologer do, and what can they do for you? Working from your horoscope they can identify underlying causes of health problems, identify weak areas in need of support and suggest not only the treatment therapies you will respond best to, but also when to initiate treatment for maximum benefit.
Modern Western medicine is beginning to show interest in other medical systems—especially what they have to offer in the way of preventative medicine. With a sense of renaissance in the air, people are more willing to indulge their curiosity, and astrology has some unique contributions to this broadening view of the healing arts.
Your Horoscope and Your Health
Medical astrology determines from an individual's horoscope the state of health of body, mind and spirit. This reflects a current trend in all spheres of medicine to acknowledge that optimum health depends on a harmonious balance between these three. The horoscope is a blueprint of the whole being, reflecting the complex interaction of body, mind and spirit.
One's horoscope can describe with great accuracy the unique constitutional makeup of an individual, including the resilience of the immune system and structural and functional weaknesses. This is of prime interest as Western medicine struggles with mediocre results from using a statistically average model of what constitutes well-being to all people.
Astrology and Medicine in History
Astrology has been used for medical purposes since the time of the Chaldean priest-physicians of 2000-1000 BC, and was used by those who founded and inspired our modern medicine of today. Hippocrates (460-377 BC), considered to be the father of modern medicine and the source of the hippocratic oath all medical doctors pledge themselves to, was an accomplished astrologer. He has been quoted as saying that a physician without a knowledge of astrology had better "call himself a fool rather than a physician."
And Nicholas Culpepper, the famous herbalist who laid the foundations for herbal medicine, stated that treatment without the use of astrology is like "a lamp without oil.”
Medical Astrology Should Be Used Cautiously
The horoscope can be used to identify health problems and recommend the most effective treatment. In doing so, one could be considered to be practicing medicine, legally the domain of only licensed medical practitioners. Great care needs to be taken here. A medical astrologer without a medical license never provides a diagnosis nor prescribes a treatment, working instead in the more general areas of assessments and recommendations, and collaborating with medical practitioners in the prevention and treatment of disease.
Astrology Contributes to an Effective Treatment Regime
A predispositioned hypersensitivity to medications and household/environmental chemicals and pollutants can be predicted from an individual's horoscope. The medical astrologer pays particular attention to the planet Neptune, which, among other things, symbolizes heightened sensitivity physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Neptune's placement in the horoscope can indicate an organ or physiological function that is hypersensitive to outside influences and will respond well to minimal chemical intervention. Particular Neptune configurations point to a tendency toward overmedication if dosed with an amount considered normal for the average patient. Under such an influence, the recommendation would be to treat in a gentle and conservative manner. There are Neptunian configurations in the horoscope which, when applied to medical matters, highlight a tendency toward misdiagnosis, suggesting a second opinion be pursued on any serious ailment.
For example, Neptune placed on the eastern horizon at birth suggests a finely calibrated body with a particularly sensitive mind-body link. This person is likely to be especially susceptible to infections and viruses and prone to developing allergies. This person will respond best to a treatment regime that includes counseling, subtle body therapies such as homeopathy, cranio-sacral adjustment or even art or music therapy.
Timing Your Treatments
Medical astrology uses the positions of the planets in the present to determine optimum windows for elective surgery. A supportive planetary configuration involving the planet Pluto, as well as the planet Mars placed prominently for maximum vital force during recovery, will encourage surgical success as well as a swift recovery. The influence of the Full Moon on post-surgical hemorrhage has been well documented, and hence is avoided if at all possible.
Healing Modalities
The medical astrologer can identify the most effective healing modalities for a client to pursue. For example, a dominant emphasis on the earth element (strong Taurus, Virgo or Capricorn in the chart) would suggest bodywork, chiropractic or nutritional therapies, whereas dominant water (strong Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces) will respond better to psychotherapy, art therapy or psychic healing.
Fire sign signatures (strong placements of planets in Aries, Leo and/or Sagittarius) respond best to exercise regimes such as t'ai chi or qi gong (though these people need to watch a tendency toward overdoing their workouts) with subsequent burnout. Air signs (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius) respond well to acupuncture, yoga and scheduled rests to recharge their easily overstimulated nervous systems.
Bedside Manner
Astrology can help the health practitioner to identify the best way to present the information to the client, what to expect of the course of the healing journey, and the client's style and willingness to pursue the recommended course of treatment. For example, cardinal signs rising (Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn) show the most dramatic response to therapeutic modifications and are generally open and enthusiastic about embarking upon a regime.
Those with fixed signs rising (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius) are more resistant to accepting advice from others, though will carry out a regime to the letter for extensive periods if you can get through to them (suggestion: they are impressed with success stories and like a fair amount of control). Mutable signs rising (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) tend to shop around the healing circuit, either staying with something for a while and then moving on, or creating an eclectic mix of therapies.
Why Not?
In comparison to the long-standing historical use of astrology in medicine throughout the world, modern medical practices have their origins less than 100 years ago. Particularly in the U.S., we have not had easy access to alternatives to allopathic treatment, and yet there are many, many conditions that are not just physical in cause, or effect—the territory where allopathic medicine excels. Your own astrological blueprint can highlight not only physical but psychological weak spots, as well as the most effective ways to return you to optimum health.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gretchen Lawlor, N.D. is an astrologer and naturopath. Send an email to the author.For more information about Gretchen Lawlor, click here.
Other StarIQ articles by Gretchen Lawlor:
Your Health and Moon Sign
11/20/2000
Mercury, the Nervous System and Energy Medicine
10/2/2000
Mercury, the Nervous System and Herbal Support
9/18/2000
Astrology and Diet Part Two
4/3/2000
Astrology and Diet Part 1
3/6/2000
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